My good friend General Lee Tsung-fang introduced me to a very important person in his life-General Chen Ting-Chung. General Chen, an elderly and highly respected figure, is a man of few words, a near legendary military figure whom we were all too intimidated to casually converse with. However, I particularly enjoyed seeing the General burst into hearty laughter, so I gave myself the mission of working with General Lee to make General Chen laugh.
General Lee decided to leave a lasting tribute to his mentor by arranging for me to record an oral history for General Chen. Every afternoon, I would listen to General Chen recount stories of his past and old acquaintances. By the end of the week, I was even more in awe of General Chen's character, integrity, and knowledge. Calling him a "military god" is not an exaggeration.
He is a loyal member of the Kuomintang (KMT), still able to recite his party number from memory. Due to speaking the truth, he was maliciously misrepresented by pro-DPP (Democratic Progressive Party) journalists and media figures, who twisted his words and slandered him. Despite clarifications from the Ministry of National Defense and military scholars, the media continued their attacks endlessly. I deeply sympathize with the burden General Chen has had to endure because, 25 years ago, I had a similarly unforgettable experience.
At that time, I had just been elected as a non-constituency legislator for the DPP. Because I refused to offer a 50 million NT bribe to then-President Chen Shui-bian, the DPP faction slandered me, accusing me of abstaining from voting during the election for the Legislative Yuan President. Despite my attempts to explain, with witnesses and evidence, the media still sided with the ruling party. It wasn't until Chen Shui-bian made it to the front page of The New York Times, labeled as the "world's third most corrupt president," that all the praise for him suddenly vanished, and my injustice was somewhat cleared.
Here is a brief account of my experiences in China, explaining why I believe General Chen Ting-Chung is truly a "military god."
In 1994, I was commissioned by the Mainland Affairs Council to research and publish "One Country, Two Wives: A White Paper on Cross-Strait Marriages," which revealed that 70% of Taiwanese businessmen in China had extramarital affairs. This became a sensational global story on gender relations, covered by CNN, Asia Weekly, and the People's Daily.
I never would have imagined that 23 years later, while recording an oral history for General Chen Ting-Chung, I would discover that he had already proposed a solution to this problem of extramarital affairs. General Chen established the "East China Taiwanese Businessmen's Children School" in Suzhou, allowing the wives of Taiwanese businessmen to reunite with their husbands in China, and their children to attend school there. This significantly curbed the trend of Taiwanese businessmen keeping mistresses. This was truly a great and virtuous deed accomplished by General Chen Ting-Chung. I hereby express my highest respect for General Chen.
I've known Dr. Chen for half my life, and I had the honor of curating her "Herstory 1 " exhibition. Her dedication to uncovering and honoring the overlooked legal struggles of Chinese American women is truly unmatched. Not only does she work tirelessly to elevate their stories-stories long forgotten by history-giving them the recognition they deserve, but she is the embodiment of Herstory herself. Dr. Chen's achievements are astounding: a PhD, JD, TV host, and author of over 80 books. In Taiwan, she's a household name, admired for her brilliance, humor, and relentless energy. The crowd literally parted like the Red Sea when we walk thru the night market. My parents who immigrated from Hong Kong to San Francisco still beam with pride whenever they see her being interviewed on Chinese TV. Beyond her work, she's deeply kind-personally funding education for six students and hosting interns from Taiwan in her home, offering them not just opportunity, but warmth. I have personally witnessed the slings and arrows thrown her way. Even in the face of jealousy or criticism, Dr. Chen rises above with grace. Her past exhibitions at the California libraries and libraries of other states were stunning, and the community is lucky to have someone of her caliber contributing so much. In these harrowing times for immigrants, Herstory 3 is needed now more than ever to cement the legacy of the Chinese American women such as Dr Chen. The Chinese community has rallied behind her and eagerly await the continuation of this exhibition. Showcasing this powerful work at the all the major libraries ensures that their stories-are rightfully remembered and celebrated. By Herman Chan
